Ateneo’s family business lectures

Family businesses need to manage family dynamics, professionalize structures and policies and implement procedures to ensure smooth succession.  However, the majority of family enterprises fail at one or more of these tasks.

Consultants are available as guides, but I believe that given the proper mind-set and techniques, several families who still do not face major relationship, governance or financial problems can manage on their own.

It is in this light that we in the Ateneo de Manila University’s (ADMU) Family Business Development Center (FBDC) invite you to our upcoming lecture series.

Disclosure:  I am on the FBDC’s board of directors.  I will not personally deliver any of the nine lectures, but our experienced and empathetic team will equip you with tools and insights for you to grow, as a business and as a family.

Manage Family Dynamics (Nov. 19)

Understand relationship challenges.  Learn healthy patterns to communicate effectively, manage differences, resolve conflicts, align family expectations with business needs. Build and maintain fulfilling relationships.

Strategic Management (Nov. 20)

Learn the stages of strategic management:  Formulation to implementation to evaluation.   Set vision-mission values and long-term goals.  Identify strategy options and formulate strategies to thrive in a highly competitive market.

Professionalize the Family Business (Nov. 22)

Review current practices.  Analyze ways to put in place structures, policies, procedures, systems and controls.  Learn the techniques needed to prepare and guide family members and family business employees to professionalization.

Human Resource Management (Nov. 23)

Learn and appreciate the role of human resources to achieve family business goals. Recruit the right people. Manage performance. Retain high-performing and high-potential employees.

Succession Planning (Nov. 26)

Learn why most family businesses fail.  Learn developmental stages and avoid predictable cases.  Develop a healthy succession plan, including guidelines for generational successors. Maintain family heritage and control.

Estate Planning (Nov. 27)

Learn the basics of property transfer:  transfer tax, donor’s tax, estate tax.  Be aware of the laws on succession-testate and intestate, wills and inheritance, legitimes and free portions, and the law on disinheritance.

Financial Planning (Nov. 28)

Manage the family business budget.  Learn resource allocation, such as family versus business requirements.  Evaluate portfolios and learn guidelines for growth:  cash flow, time value of money, investment screening, risk assessment.

Management Systems (Nov. 29)

Enhance efficiency and decision making in terms of: business processes and operating systems, organizational structures and coordination and supervision mechanisms, human resources and the alignment of competencies versus work assignments.

Governance and Constitution (Nov. 30)

Learn the three overlapping systems: family, management and ownership, with multiple roles for some family members.  Reconcile the systemic paradoxes of family and business, through the family council and the family constitution, which are best enshrined before costly differences arise.

Lectures will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at JGSOM Room 305, at ADMU, Loyola Heights, Quezon City.  Registration starts at 12:30 p.m.

Regular rate is P5,500 for each lecture.  Or avail yourself of the 4 + 1 promo, one free lecture for every four, for a total of P22,000 for five lectures.

For inquiries and reservations, call 928-3503 or 426-6001 local 5520.  E-mail [email protected].  Visit www.ateneofamilybusiness.weebly.com.